For about 20 years, the Red Carpet has been hosting "Soup Day." Held on the first Sunday in December, Soup Day consists of 20+ soups made by local professional and amateur chefs. Each bowl is $4, and there's a wide variety to choose from - including some you might not find anywhere else! I walked in aboit 15 minutes before the event was set to start (noon) and found a seat at the bar that had a sheet of paper that listed every soup available. I ticked off several soups before turning it over to the man in charge. I paid cash to him, but you can add it to your tab at the bar, too. They do take-out orders first, so I waited a while before I realized they don't call your name - they just stack them in a certain area. Mine were probably done for 20 minutes before I realized, so they weren't piping hot. Oh well. Here's what I got: Irish Stew Yugoslavian Fish Stew Italian Wedding Soup Matzo Ball Soup Shrimp Corn Chowder Pizza Soup Stuffed Pepper Soup

I've been eating soup all day! Which ones would you have selected?

Angie's What's Poppin' Shoppe is a Ripley-based popcorn shop that I caught out at a festival. They had a number of popcorn flavors available - from dill and cheddar to skittles and toffee. The flavor list is long and wide, and they hope to expand in the future.



I tried the garlic parmesan flavor, which was addictive. It was difficult to choose because there were so many options that sounded delicious. I would love to try a sweet version next. That might have to be when I go visit the physical location in Ripley.



Grade: A

Blanch's Family Diner in Clendenin serves up homestyle food in a simple, country-esque atmosphere.



"Blanch’s was a well known spot years ago in town for locals, and now, years later, Blanch Jones’ family has opened Blanch’s Family Dinner to re-live some of those childhood memories. Daughters Lynn Taylor and Diana Chandler have made it their mission to bring back some of those memories to pass on to their families. These ladies have taken pride in this diner, and you can tell in the way they speak about their mother that this will be a place where you can definitely come and enjoy a meal and leave feeling like family. There is thought in even the smallest details inside the diner, such as the red checkered curtain tie backs, representing their mother," according to the Clay County Free Press.



I ordered a crispy chicken melt, which came with ham, breaded chicken breast, ham, and mozzarella cheese. This is a really good start for a sandwich, but I needed a sauce to bring it home. The side of macaroni salad was good, though, and added that bit of moisture to the dish.



Grade: B

Charleston went for quite some time without much of a craft beer scene. But then, within the last two years, we have had a handful of breweries open up. One of which is Charleston Nano Brewery.



"We're focused on brewing small batches of craft beverages on site. We appreciate the full catalog of beer styles, so we hope you'll always find something new for you on tap at Charleston Nano. We're also a family-owned business and we're keenly focused on being a family-friendly establishment ourselves. We plan on offering customers with kids a fun place to play board games and to enjoy our own non-alcoholic root beers. We want Charleston Nano to be a business that's involved in the community, focused on brewing education, and a great place for people to enjoy beer and each other. We want anyone to feel welcome at Charleston Nano!" according to the website.



The space is nice - not huge, but not cramped. It was cozy enough to be able to have a convo and relax. I ordered a flight and a snack.



Let's start with the beer. They have quite a few different styles and some very creative options that include flavors like pomegranate, ube and vanilla. I tried a few different sours - all of which I enjoyed.



For my snack, I enjoyed a homemade pepperoni roll and side of beer cheese. They even serve pepperoni rolls with jalapenos, too. My regular one was great, as is though. Certainly taste homemade and wasn't just thick bread. Flavorful.



They are located on the West Side - in Elk City. I think they sometimes get left out of the marketing along with the other breweries. But if we don't want them to leave, like some other Elk City businesses as of late, we have to make sure to support them.



Have you been?



Grade: A

The Springs Soup & Sandwich is a lovely name for a lunch spot in Webster Springs. It's simple, straightforward, but "springs" is also pleasantly bucolic.



This restaurant is a little funky, with bright paint colors and various art pieces on the walls. The menu is heavier on sandwiches than soups, with about a dozen paninis and one soup of the day.



I ordered the Springs Special, which was peppered turkey, lettuce, tomato, purple onion, mayo and cheddar cheese on sourdough bread - plus a side of chips, mini dill pickles and a chocolate mint.



There's nothing too out-of-the-box here. It's a basic sandwich, but it is well done. Each ingredient was solid, and it was all in good proportion to one another. The mint with the meal is a sweet touch.



Grade: A